Jimmy Thackery and Tab Benoit: Whiskey Store

It has been my experience that whenever I receive an album that features two guitarists and an all-star line-up around them my reaction always proves to be either “This is some of the greatest music ever recorded,” or more likely “Who recorded this album and ran?” I am happy to say that the collaboration between Louisiana bluesman Tab Benoit and rockin’-blues guitarist Jimmy Thackery falls under the heading of "a great record, one of the best so far this year." "Whiskey Store" features not only the complete Stevie Ray Vaughan rhythm section, Double Trouble, (Chris Layton on drums, Tommy Shannon on bass, and Reese Wynans on piano and Hammond B-3 organ) but also legendary harmonica man, Charlie Musslewhite

What truly makes this album one of the best records this year is that each individual part not only adds their own flavor and style to the recording, but also meshes and blends with the others to form a perfect blues gumbo.

Practically of note on this album is the Benoit standard “Nice and Warm,” and the Colin Linden and Anders Osborne penned original “Away, Away Too Long.”

A nice surprise that I haven’t taken out of the CD player yet!